Page 4 of My Broken Mate

Oh shoot, it means we are going to have a talk.

I decide to at least go down with a few heavenly snacks. “How about pancakes with everything?” I ask.

Joel’s face lights up at my words, and he turns to look at Eve, nodding vigorously. “You two are impossible,” Eve mutters. “Okay, go and get settled, and for goddess’s sake, don’t step into the kitchen. It’s always drama when you are around.”

“I know I’m clumsy,” I say. “But not that bad!”

“And I’m not clumsy at all,” Joel says.

“Yeah, but you tend to constantly taste everything I cook, until there is nothing left,” Eve grins. “I’d rather take Kata’s clumsiness.”

“Hah!” I say.

Joel pouts, but then grabs my arm and tugs me to the living room. “Let’s play a round of Mario Kart,” he says. “I barely have time for that anymore.”

He is right. Since he became alpha, his workload is so huge that he doesn’t have much free time. The little time he has, he tries to divide between us and his friends. When we settle down on the sofa, both of us with a controller in our hands, I notice a few canvases covered with a sheet. “Are these new paintings here?” I yell towards the kitchen.

“Yes,” Eve yells back. With a bowl and a whisk in his hands, he peeks into the living room. “They are from my newest project. It’s about the destruction of society. Maybe you want to hang it in your office, Joel?”

“Me?” Joel says, sounding terrified. Eve has a very unique sense of art, very… dark and destructive. “In my office… for other pack members to see?” He gets up, takes the sheet away and lifts one painting in his hand, looking at it. “Destruction of society. Ijust see a ton of dead bodies and some giant worm crawling out of it.”

“Exactly, that’s about how our greed, prejudice and hatred eat our hearts and bodies like a parasite.”

“You want me to hang a picture, with a giant worm gnawing on human flesh, in my office?” Joel deadpans.

“I find it cool,” I say.

“No way you do!” Joel says.

“I do,” I say. Eve’s art isn’t for everyone, but I love it.

Eve beams. “Then you take it and hang it in your room or study.”

“It’s perfect for the study,” I say.

“Sure, just that you won’t see it much there,” Eve mutters.

“Eve,” Joel says, a hint of warning in his voice.

I pretend like I don’t hear their exchange and instead keep gazing at the painting. I know I’m not smart, which is why I struggle so much with my studies. I tried first, but then kind of gave up. It’s like there is no use even trying anymore.

I just hate to let my brothers down.

I place the painting in my study, deciding to put it up later, before returning to the living room and playing a few rounds of Mario Kart with Joel. Eventually, Eve has finished his pancakes and brings them to the couch table. They smell heavenly, and Joel and I instantly start to dig in.

“Hungry wolves,” Eve chuckles, heading back to the kitchen and returning with one pot containing hot chocolate and one filled with coffee.

For a moment, we eat in silence before Joel clears his throat. “Okay,” Joel takes a sip from his coffee. “Kata, we need to talk.”

I hold my breath. “Yes?”

“You know we love you,” he says. “I mean… you are our cute little sister, and absolutely precious. And you are so kind, sometimes too kind for your own good.”

“You suffer from helper syndrome for real,” Eve points out. “But it’s not bad.”

“Right, it’s not bad,” Joel reassures me.

“Why does it sound like it’s bad?” I ask, starting to get a little bit defensive. Is it so terrible to want to help other people?